System and method for recording medication delivery to a patient

Abstract

A care management system in which the management of the administration of care for patients is automated. Hospital information systems are monitored and the information from those systems is used in verifying the administrations of care to patients. The care management system monitors ongoing administrations for progress and automatically updates records and provides alarms when necessary. The care management system is modular in nature but is fully integrated among its modules. Particular lists of data, such as the termination times of all ongoing infusions, provide hospital staff current information for increased accuracy and efficiency in planning. Features include the automatic provision of infusion parameters to pumps for accurate and efficient configuration of the pump, and providing an alarm when an unscheduled suspension of an infusion exceeds a predetermined length of time. A passive recognition system for identifying patients and care givers is provided.

1. A system for recording the delivery of medication to a patient by a clinical device, comprising:
 a first processor in operable communication with the clinical device; 
 input means operatively connected to the first processor for input of information related to the delivery of medication to the first processor; 
 a second processor having a memory in which is stored a record associated with the patient containing patient information and information related to the delivery of medication to the patient; 
 a means for communicating information related to the delivery of medication to the patient between the first and second processors, the information including identification data, clinical device operating parameters and medication delivery information; 
 wherein identification data input into the first processor is compared to the stored identification data by either the first or second processor and the second processor downloads clinical device operating parameters to the first processor to program and operate the clinical device in accordance with the downloaded operating parameters if the comparison of the identification data satisfies a predetermined condition; and 
 wherein medication delivery information associated with the operation of the clinical device in accordance with the downloaded operating parameters is communicated to the second processor for storage in the record associated with the patient. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the medication delivery information associated with the operation of the clinical device includes at least one delivery value selected from the group consisting of a patients name, scheduled start time, actual start time, scheduled end time, projected end time, amount of medication delivered and amount of medication remaining to be delivered. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the medication delivery information associated with the operation of the clinical device includes discrepancy information related to conditions occurring during medication delivery falling outside of predetermined ranges of acceptable values for such conditions. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a vital sign monitor. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 4 , wherein the vital sign monitor monitors a vital sign parameter of the patient and communicates discrepancy information to the second processor for storage in the record associated with the patient if a value of the vital sign parameter is outside of a range of predetermined acceptable values for the vital sign parameter. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the record associated with the patient also includes laboratory test information. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 6 , wherein laboratory test information associated with the patient is communicated to the second processor for storage in the record associated with the patient and the communicated data is compared to a range of acceptable laboratory information values associated with the medication being delivered to the patient and discrepancy information is stored in the record associated with the patient is a predetermined condition is not satisfied. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7 , wherein the second processor causes an alert to be communicated to a care-giver if the predetermined condition is not satisfied. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the second processor monitors a status of the alert and increases a priority of the alert if a response to the alert is not received by the second processor within a predetermined time. 
     
     
       10. A method for recording the delivery of medication to a patient by a clinical device, comprising:
 storing information related to the delivery of medication to a patient in a record associated with the patient in a memory; 
 sensing information related to the delivery of medication to a patient from an identification device associated with a patient; 
 comparing the sensed information with the stored information; 
 communicating clinical operating parameters to the clinical device to program the clinical device if the comparison of the sensed information with the stored information satisfies a predetermined condition; 
 operating the clinical device in accordance with clinical operating parameters; 
 monitoring the operation of the clinical device; 
 storing medication delivery information associated with operating the clinical device in the record associated with the patient. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein monitoring the operation of the clinical device includes monitoring values generated by a vital sign monitor. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein monitoring the values generated by the vital sign monitor includes comparing the monitored values to a predetermined range of acceptable vital sign values and indicating a discrepancy if an out of range vital sign value is detected. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 10 , wherein monitoring the operation of the clinical device includes monitoring values of laboratory tests, comparing the monitored values to a predetermined range of acceptable laboratory test values and indicating a discrepancy if an out of range laboratory test value is detected. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 10 , wherein monitoring the operation of the clinical device includes comparing a value of a parameters associated with the operation of the clinical device to a predetermined range of acceptable values for the parameter and indicating a discrepancy if an out of range value for the parameter is detected.